Demonstrators Gather At City Hall To Protest President Trump's National Emergency To Build Border Wall
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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – President Trump is due back in Washington after spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. His declaration of a national emergency to build a border wall is leading to protests on this Presidents Day.
Demonstrations against the national emergency were held around the country.
Many of those taking part called the move a power grab.
About 200 people gathered outside Philadelphia City Hall at noon to protest.
They are hoping Congress will take action to stop the President.
On a day when Americans stop to honor past presidents, many took to the streets to protest our present Commander-in-Chief.
In response to President Donald Trump declaring a national emergency to allocate billions of federal dollars to expand barriers at our southern border, activist groups throughout the country held rallies to call on Congress to resist President Trump's wall.
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"It's a fake national emergency," said Mikhel Harrison, an event organizer for Indivisible Pa.
"I hope that Congress takes real steps to stop this from happening," said Philadelphia resident, Alice Callison. "They can act if they chose to and I hope they do."
Over the weekend, one of the President's senior advisers hinted that Trump would veto any resolution which disapproves of his national emergency declaration and many Republicans have his back with the wall.
"Emergency declarations have been used by presidents previously for different situations that have been deemed a national emergency," said Republican Christopher Vogler. "I think if you have an instance of tens of thousands of people trying to enter this country illegally, to me that would be termed a national emergency."
Twelve-year-old protester Jayden Battiste, from Guatemala, was adopted by American parents and has been upset seeing immigrant families separated or rejected at the southern border.
"People that are coming from Mexico and Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, my daughter is from Guatemala, are fleeing persecution, [and] are asylum seekers and refugees. And we want our country to welcome them like they have so amazingly welcomed my daughter," said Philadelphia resident, Linda Battiste.
"Hope you are enjoying your Presidents Day, our Country is making unprecedented progress," President Trump tweeted on Monday.
